Davor

Just been browsing the net.

I think they are all made by four individual strands, even the twists. With suction cups welded before. The top one is a mystery. Only way I can think of is with four individual strands threaded thru a ring that would be bent over on the right and spot welded and again thread thru a another ring and so on. They all look great.

Nice.

At this start of a new life or lifestyle. May the winds be at your back, the dice be kind, and the Gods turn the occasional blind eye.

That is a great idea. Love it.

It's up to you what you want to do and how. I would suggest do it in a way that it is the most fun to you. It is a hobby it’s not supposed to be a struggle. And even the smiths from a hundred years ago used the most modern tools they could get. Personal preference.

Hot cut in the hardy hole. When I had just piece of railroad track without a hardy hole and had to clamp everything in the vice to cut it I didn’t think much about it, but it is a game changer, just a simple hot cut.

Me too. At least she went peacefully. That is a sort of a blessing.

Can someone explain the large anvil stile? I saw pictures of such anvil with the holes, was baffled about it, now that I saw the bolts in the holes I am still baffled.

If you are asking me, the answer is: No I'm guessing it was a common thing to have blacksmiths everywhere, and then it just disappeared in a very short time. I asked my grandfather once how many blacksmiths where there in his village and he said more than 20 and the village was about 300 homes. They disappeared with the modern welding machine.

Nice looking chisels Pat, but don’t flare them out so much. Like the one in the third picture. You must have a straight line behind the edges or you will knock those corners of. The edge is hardened and you don't have enogh tempered steel behind those flared edges. I learned that the hard way. If you google a cold cut chisel, you'll see that thay have a straight line behind the edge or that it even tapers towards the edge.

I think the vertical bar was split and then the horizontal bar placed on top. I’m assuming that on the basis that the lowest row has the prongs to long to be made after the placement of the horizontal bar. Prongs of the other rows were probably made after the placement of the horizontal bars, as they must go together.

Yves that is very interesting, sorry I missed your post, haven’t had much time in the past few days. Still not forging because of my tennis elbow, but I have been on vacation again. This time Pula and Motovun, in my country Croatia. So here are some pictures, don’t know how old this stuff is but nothing is welded. I found the chain very interesting, never saw that before. The door grate is huge, I realize now that the picture doesn’t do it justice without anybody there for a reference, as well the same stile windows.

There is always something that needs attention around the house. Other than that, a bit of leather work, some finishing touches on my vintage CZ that I've been restoring for the past three years, play with the dogs, smoke a pipe and just relax.

I just got back from vacation, I was at Island Rab in my home country Croatia. And there is an old town also called Rab, the buildings are old but surprisingly little old forged stuff (not welded with modern welders), except for few of these window grates. They are without a doubt cut with a chisel and it is quite a thick material. Just thought I'd share, never saw such design, very simple.

Well here I am. I thought I just had a sore muscle, but after about three weeks of ignoring it, it got worse and then I realized: Ooo no. I don't think I did it with blacksmithing but it got worse after one session of it. Now I'm out of the shop and I have promises to keep on a project I started. "Luckily" it has been really hot past week (36 Celsius) so I wouldn't have been in the shop anyway. Hope when it heals it won't be a recurring thing.

I made a couple of plant hangers. A while ago just now saw them mounted.

Best advice. I my experience there are two types of people those with common sense and the scum. The common-sense people you will always find a compromise, you both bend a little and it works out. The scum they don’t care, they just see their side and will always find something to complain. You could plant trees and they will complain about the lack of sunlight you cut them down they will complain about not having shade.

What? First thing you made is a pair of tongs and they look that good? I’ll see myself out. I don’t know what you do for a living but it better be blacksmithing in the future.

This is an interesting thread. What is the “anvil” in that last picture used for, it looks like it has a specific purpose. Bottom right corner on the stump.

Wow, that is excellent. After it gets some patina on it, it will look like it was always there.

You got me thinking, so as I was making some tools today I made a hanger from some scrap pieces. It is riveted, with only the horizontal bar welded. I punched a squer hole and welded it fom the inside. Not exactly what you had in mind, but as I said it got me thinking.

Well I made links from some old rusty nails that looked about the right size and managed to close them cold. But I sure wish I found smaller ones because it was a pain in the butt to close it cold.

Thanks for the advice guys, good advice. The stainless shackles are really an eyesore.